SA is pleased to announce the 2005 Certificate in Business Administration (CBA) Program. The program is designed to provide physicians with the business skills needed to successfully manage the operations and functions of their health care organization or medical practice. After completing the program, participants should be able to:

• Acquire basic concepts of accounting and financial analysis;

• Attain skills for budget development;

• Be conversant with compliance and organizational issues, regulatory and other legal constraints;

• Identify and effectively use communication, negotiation and conflict-resolution techniques in a group-based environment;

• Optimize contracting, fee schedule analysis and negotiation strategies through an understanding of basic managed care and integrated delivery system precepts;

• Appreciate employment law issues, selection and retention issues and the relational cycle of human resources to overall functional business strategy;

• Develop a marketing plan for your organization through a basic understanding of the principles of marketing;

• Develop an understanding of business communications and technical report writing;

• Gain an understanding of the role of promotional strategy in health care services marketing.

The first on-site session will be held the weekend of March 19-20, 2005, at the Woodlands Resort and Conference Center in Houston, Texas, with three additional on-site sessions at the Woodlands throughout the year. A block of rooms will be reserved at the hotel for each on-site program.

The program will consist of a total of 10 modules. Five of the modules will be presented at the on-site sessions, and five will be completed through distance learning via DVD-ROMs, which will be in the Microsoft Power Point format.

ASA designates this continuing medical education program for a maximum of 50 hours of category 1 credit toward the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award.

ASA also will have two separate CBA sessions at the Conference on Practice Management, February 4-6, 2005, in San Francisco. Details on both of these sessions can be found in the Practice Management brochure on the ASA Web site at <www.ASAhq.org/Washington/pmconf2005.htm>.

It is recommended that registration for the CBA program be completed by February 21, 2005, to be sure of securing an open spot.

For more information on the Certificate in Business Administration Program or to download the registration form, visit <www.ASAhq.org/conted/cba.htm> or contact the ASA Executive Office at (847) 825-5586.